


Mr. and Mrs. Rogers

by MsNerdscape



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: AU post Civil War, Aliases, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brainwashing, Crime Fighting, Discussion of Abortion, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Light Domestic Violence, Marriage, Natasha might not be as down for domestic life as Steve, On the Run, Past Abuse, Past Brainwashing, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Protective Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Teacher Steve, Tony being a peak instigator, Unplanned Pregnancy, mama natasha
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:40:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29102697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsNerdscape/pseuds/MsNerdscape
Summary: After the fall of Shield and putting Bucky on ice in Wakanda, Steve and Natasha find themselves settling into a life outside of "the life". But Hydra is less like a multi-headed snake, and more like a game of wack-a-mole, they will always pop out of their hole again.
Relationships: Past Bruce Banner/ Natasha Romanov, Past Steve Rogers/Sharon Carter, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov, Wanda Maximoff/Vision, implied James "Bucky" Barnes/Natasha Romanov, past James "Bucky" Barnes/ Natasha Romanov
Comments: 5
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic ever to publish guys so please be kind 😅. I hope you like it!!

Steven Rogers viewed himself as a man that was very lucky. He was turning 99 years old this year, and still didn’t look a day over 23 (while if you count years he spent walking on the earth he was 29), thanks to his super-soldier serum. This would usually cause issues, considering that he was father to a one-year-old, and his wife the ever-talented Black Widow assassin Natasha Rogers nee Romanoff was 32 years old. They got some odd looks when they were out and about, but no worse than the normal looks they got for being Captain America and Black Widow. While you know of the Battle of New York, the Hyrda and SHEILD incident, and the numerous other Avengers related battles and international incidents, you don’t know about the behind the scenes.  
Shortly after the Avengers temporarily disbanded following their falling out over the Sokovia Accords, Steve and Natasha went on the run together. Well, it was running for Natasha, and laying low for Cap. They remained outside of the USA for a few months, traveling in Asia and eastern Europe, and on occasions meeting up with Sam. The first month or so was very similar to their life on the run from HYDRA and SHEILD. It wasn’t more than three months into their traveling that their romantic relationship began, and lone behold four months later the Super Soldier’s Super Sperm overcame all of the Black Widow Programs enhancements. Nat was not happy.

FLASHBACK  
Steve had just returned from the market down the street from their tiny apartment in Bulgaria. Nat was pacing in their kitchen, pulling at her dyed blonde hair. She looked angry, very angry.  
“Nat, what’s wrong? Are we compromised? Are you……?” Steve began to ask as he slowly approached his partner.  
Steve had lived with Nat long enough to know that she wasn’t fond of having to be comforted and coddled, and would tell him what was on her mind in time.  
“I’M PREGNANT!” she shouted at him as she continued pacing without looking up at him.  
Steve was stunned. Nat had promised him that the Black Widow Program had guaranteed that she was barren, having a child would be a slight hindrance to her profession that was based on sex and deceit. Not only that, but Steve hadn’t thought of having a family let alone a child since before he went into the ice. Then when Peggy died last year, he felt that that part of his life was gone forever, despite his very hands-on involvement in SHIELD and Avengers missions. Steve could only think of one thing to say. The one thing his Mama would have told him to do.  
“ We should get married!” he blurted.  
Nat slowly turned around and finally faced him. Her face was red and blotchy, there were dried tears on her cheeks, something that shocked him even further. The only time he had ever seen her cry was when he had accidentally found her crying in a side hallway at the Avengers headquarters after Banner had left.  
“What?! Are you crazy?! Cap we are trying to HIDE stay discreet, not attract attention. I am not having a baby, and we are not getting married,” Nat said harshly.  
“I…Natasha I understand that you never thought this could happen, and I respect that it is your decision, but…could I maybe have a say?” Steve asked timidly.  
Nat walked up to him until she was standing less than a foot away from him.  
“I am two months pregnant, and I didn’t even know. I was never supposed to be able to have children, ever! I got used to that idea before I even completed puberty. Our line of work doesn’t have room for children or families or white picket fences. So I’m sorry if you haven’t come to that same realization, but that is our reality,” she said glaring up at him.  
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed but we aren’t in ‘our line of work’ anymore. So I think you need to take a minute and think about this. I was raised a good Christian, and do not believe in abortion, no matter how old-fashioned that may seem. But I respect you, and will support whatever choice you make….And if it makes any difference, I think you would make an incredible mother, Natasha,” Steve said sadly, as he turned around and left the room.

END FLASHBACK

  
Suffice to say, they made their way to Wakanda shortly afterward, were married by the Wakandan king himself, and seven months later James Steven Rogers was born in a Wakandan infirmary on June 4th, 2018, one month before Steve’s 100th birthday. The small family now lived in a small house in a small suburb outside of Paris. It was well enough off the beaten path that American tourists wouldn’t happen upon them, but near enough to an airport that they could make a quick escape if they needed to. The town of Saclay was a small sleepy town where the Bakker Family blended in as yet another small European family. When they first moved from Wakanda to Saclay, France Steve and Natasha became Willem and Anya Bakker and their young son James Bakker. Steve and Nat told people that Will was from Holland and Anya Russia, and both had met at university in England. There they had dated, fell in love, and started their family. They had moved to Saclay because Willem had been offered a teaching post at the local boys military academy. Anya spent her days caring for their son and working from home as she worked in finances.  
The people in the little community never asked any questions and instantly fell in love with the little family. And whenever any child brought up the occasional question on Monsuier Bakker’s resemblance to Captain America, Steve would simply laugh them off and point out that Captain America was not Dutch nor did he have a wife and son living in central France. This response usually left the children feeling rather embarrassed for having asked such a stupid question. Of course, Monsieur Bakker wasn’t Captain America!  
Now they did have to get creative when Sam Wilson came to visit after little James was born. They managed to convince the neighbors that he was an old university friend who had just come up from northern Africa for a visit. Sam wasn’t too keen on having to imitate T’Challa. None the less he did it and enjoyed his week with his godson (having been especially excited at being told he was so well trusted by the old soldier and spy). Between visits from Sam and watching little James grow more every day, life was good for the Bakker nee Rogers family.


	2. The Mrs. and The Ex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy wife really is the key to a happy life.

It was a chilly fall afternoon as Steve hopped off his bicycle and parked it alongside the house after a long day at the school. As he walked into the house he noticed his lovely blonde haired wife was sitting in the middle of the floor fighting the small child to put his shoes on.  
“NOOOOOO,” cried James as he fell out onto the floor again, his blue eyes filled with tears.  
Nat rolled her eyes as Steve intervened and scooped up the small child, who upon seeing his father immediately stopped crying and began playing with his father’s brown beard.  
“I see he’s still in his tantrum phase then,” Steve observed as he carried the boy over to his play mat next to the kitchen.  
“We were going to go to the park,” Nat grumbled as she fell down in a chair.  
“Nat, I can take a few days off to help watch him if you’d like. I know he’s becoming more of a hasal now that he can walk and is learning to talk….,” Steve began, but Nat just waved him off and got up to go upstairs.  
It was days like this that Steve regretted making her do this alone. If things were different they would be back in New York and she’d have Clint, Laura, Pepper, and even Wanda for some babysitting help. But here, they knew no one, so they trusted no one, least of all with their only son who was a miracle in and of himself. But it had been her idea to chose Saclay and leave Wakanda. Steve had felt that she was growing uncomfortable with being in the same vicinity as Bucky, who was a constant reminder of her past, no matter if he was on ice or not. Which while Bucky was a bad reminder for Natasha, he was the best kind of reminder for Steve. He was overjoyed that his son could be born with his best friend just down the hall. But we digress, Natasha had viewed the image of a stay at home mother and working father would fit well into the family-friendly town, where that was the case in most families. Steve just didn’t realize Nat didn’t know how much attention and work it was to take care of a child, especially one under the age of five.  
So Steve cooked dinner, which Nat declined, and sat down and fed his little son, before playing with him until he was almost too tired to keep his eyes open. Steve carried the infant to bed, before making his way to his own bedroom to ensure Nat was okay. But by the time he entered the room, she was asleep…so he thought.  
Steve was up for another hour or so grading his students’ papers (honestly, how hard was it to remember the dates of major wars, especially world wars, since there have only been two?!), and then he climbed into bed, and fell fast asleep. No sooner had he started dreaming of home, did he feel something on his face. He started having a hard time breathing, and then he started feeling drowsy like he was being drugged. He immediately began trying to shout, to alert Nat of the intruder, that they had been compromised. But as he started to fall and try to grab at his attacker he was all too familiar with those hips and curls. Steve pushed on the pillow over his face and flipped Nat back on her side of the bed where she kept kicking and grabbing at him. Steve figured she must be dreaming so he tried waking her up as she clawed at his arms. Nothing. Steve took a closer (careful) look at her eyes, they were completely alert. She was wide awake and had no clue who he was. Steve could worry about the why and the how later, but when she started hissing “Hail HYDRA” all he knew to do was get James and get the hell out of there. So he pressure pointed her (a neat trick she had taught him), and handcuffed her to the headboard (don’t ask), before grabbing his “go trunk” and bags, grabbing James and jumping into the car, racing to Charles DeGaul Airport at 1 AM.  
He dialed Sam’s number, as he sped down the A40.  
“Hey, old man what’s up?” Sam Wilson greeted happily.  
“Sam, I had to run, I need a place to hideout. Where are you?” Steve said hurriedly.  
“WHAT?! Steve slow down whats going on? Are you guys all okay?!” Sam asked worriedly.  
Steve looked in his rear mirror at his still sleeping son.  
“James and I are okay. But Nat…..Sam she was compromised, they got to her like they did Buck,” Steve sighed.  
“Wait…what?! No, there is no way that she…” Sam began.  
“Sam, she just tried to kill me in my sleep and began hailing HYDRA! James and I need someplace to lay low,” Steve explained.  
“Shit,” Sam breathed,  
“Language!” Steve chased.  
“Alright alright! Well, considering your wife is the best spy and assassin on this planet, it's safe to assume you have about an hour lead at most. How far are you from the airport?” Sam asked.  
“I’m……half an hour away. But I’d say I’ve got a three-hour lead since I’ve taken all of Nat’s alias passports,” Steve mused as he glanced at the duffel bag next to him.  
“Okay, three hours I can work with. Well……Um…..Sharon!” Sam exclaimed.  
“Sam, really? You want me to hide from my wife at my ex-girlfriend’s house..with my son?” Steve exclaimed.  
“No…not exactly. Sharon is in London for some statue thing for Peggy. If you can get to London, she can get you on the next Quinjet to New York,” Sam explained.  
“Sam you know we can’t…..,” Steve began.  
“You can, she can’t. You’re Captain America, the border will never be closed to you. Besides, I think Tony can get over himself for a few days to help out his friends,” Sam snorted.  
Steve looked at the throwaway phone in the duffle bag. It was the phone that had a direct line to Tony. He had never had to use it till now. Even when they were in the Sahara when Nat was 7 months pregnant and went into false labor. But he figured that his wife trying to kill him after being brainwashed by HYDRA was a pretty fair reason.  
“I’ll call Tony. You call Sharon,” Steve said as Sam confirmed, and he hung up.  
Steve drove and drove until he reached the airport. He parked the car in a secluded basement parking lot and ditched Willem Bakker’s cellphone. After purchasing a ticket to London that would fly out in an hour, Steve settled in one of the flight lounges, and picked up the throw-away-phone, and hit the only phone number on the phone. It rang a few times before he answered.  
“Cap! What's wrong, buddy?” Tony asked, music blasting in the background.  
“Tony, I’m in trouble, really bad trouble,” Steve said.  
It was those words that had Tony shouting at some people in the background before there was some shuffling and the line went quiet.  
“What kind of trouble, Cap?” Tony asked, now serious.  
“I….how do I….Natasha and I had a child last year, and we’ve been living in France since. But…..uh…..she tried to kill me in my sleep tonight Tony. We’ve been compromised, and I grabbed my son and left. Normally, I would get to the bottom of this, and take care of whoever at HYDRA thought messing with my family was a good idea but…Tony I’ve got a kid, and my wife is trying to hunt me down and kill me. So yeah, I need somewhere to lay low,” Steve explained.  
The line was silent for a few seconds.  
“So you and Red…and she had a….but how is that….? …..Wait, no! Super Sperm?! Are you serious?!” Tony laughed.  
“Tony!” Steve hissed.  
“No, I’ve got you……give me two seconds…………..okay so you’ll land at Heathrow in two hours, you will be greeted at baggage by the lovely Agent Carter, who will personally see to it that you and Mini Cap arrive at my doorstep tomorrow morning in one piece, sans one redheaded assassin. I’ll make sure to loop everyone else in so they stay clear of Romanoff, sorry Mrs. Rogers. God, when we get her back to normal that’s going to be fun!” Tony commented as Steve sighed in relief.  
“Thank you, Tony. You don’t know how much this means to me,” he said.  
“Oh, well I’m sure you’ll come up with some way to repay me….I’d take naming your second-born after me as fair enough repayment for helping you escape your homicidal assassin wife. But seriously, Cap, what were you thinking? I mean we all guessed you’d start shacking up after Banner took off, but a kid? Clint is going to have a blast with this one,” Tony laughed as he kept typing away on the other end of the line.  
“I didn’t realize Clint was still talking to you,” Steve commented, considering the last time Clint and Steve had talked Clint’s only thoughts of Tony were murder.  
“Nah, me and Legolas are all good. I managed to get him probation, he stays on the good ole’ family farm, and the only bow and arrows he picks up are for killing Bambi. I may have also…secretly…deposited $2M in his bank account labeling it as ’SHEILD Pension’,” Tony rambled, “But ignoring that he’s going to have a field day about this one! Actually, let me call him….,” Tony began, and before Steve could protest the archer’s voice could be heard on Tony’s line.  
“Tony, what the hell?! I told you I’m in Disney World!” Clint huffed annoyed.  
“Katniss, Mickey Mouse can wait. I’ve got Cap on the line, who is currently running from your HYDRA brainwashed ex-partner. And did I mention Red and Cap are married with a Mini Cap?” Tony explained.  
“WHAT?!!!! Why didn’t you guys call? You know Sarah and I would have let you guys stay with us on the farm! Wait wait how old is he? Wait he is a 'he' right?” Clint exclaimed excitedly.  
“His name is James, and he is 14 months. We were originally avoiding coming back stateside because of Nat. She’s not a citizen and even though we were married I don’t see customs letting her in the country,” Steve said smiling to himself.  
“So have you just been in France this whole time? The last time Nat checked in she wouldn’t say where you were,” Clint asked.  
“James was born in Wakanda......a few months after T’Challa married us,” Steve said slowly knowing just the mention of T’Challa would bring up bad feelings about Bucky.  
“So I’m guessing you felt good ole Buck was good enough to be let in on this big secret huh,” Tony asked coldly.  
Steve looked to his left as his son slept in his car seat stroller, all blue-eyed and blonde hair, but with his mother’s nose and lips. He desperately wished Bucky could have been awake when James was born. He wished he could have been the third person to hold his son. He can just imagine Bucky’s smile as he held the boy named after him.  
“He doesn’t even know Nat and I are together,” Steve said sadly.  
“Wow, so you guys really didn’t tell anyone,” Clint muttered in awe.  
“Ha! No, they totally did!! Agent Carter 2.0 just texted me that Birdo knew all about it!” Tony gasped, “Cap I’m hurt,”  
“Steve what the hell?!” Clint said.  
“He was in Wakanda when we got married, and he’s come to visit us in France once or twice since James has been born,” Steve said guiltily.  
“Since when do newbies get the good secrets?” Clint grumbled, “Alright alright, just call us when you get back stateside and we’ll figure everything out. Laura, the kids, and I leave Disney in two days. I’ll leave early and head to the Tower in the morning. Tony give me a ride?” Clint said.  
“No problemo Robin Hood! I’ll send one to the good ole farm for the kiddies and ball and chain, I’m sure they would love to meet their little cousin Mini Cap,” Tony said.  
“Alright, then I’ll see you tomorrow. And guys....thank you for your help. If it was just me I’d handle Nat myself, but it’s not just me and her anymore,” Steve said sadly.  
“What are friends for Cap?..... Oh and Cap, never apologize for being in the Dad Club,” Clint said as he hung up.  
“Haha, so do I get to make old dad jokes now too? Wait wait, you’re 100 with a 1-year-old and your wife is 33... Cap you ole dog,” Tony laughed.  
Steve rolled his eyes and glanced down at his son again.  
“I’m hanging up now Tony. I’ll see you in the morning,” Steve said with a smile.  
“Nighty night Capo and Mini Cap,” Tony chimes as the call ended.  
And so the young blonde man with blue eyes sat with his equally blonde-haired and blue-eyed son in the empty French airport. Sam texted him 20 minutes later confirming he and Agent Carter had secured a quinjet from departure from a private landing strip outside of London for 3 AM. He sighed a sigh of relief. In three hours James would be safe. Safe a word he hadn’t thought in relation to himself in years. Not until James. He used to pick fights with the bigger guy and run headfirst into danger. But now with James, he had to run away from his own wife, from James’s mother. It was like Clint had said, he was now a part of the Dad’s Club.  
The two blondes boarded their mostly empty small flight, with many of the flight attendants cooing over James. It was awkward having to explain (although his lies fell out smoothly) that the father and son were going to visit family friends in England and that Mrs. Bakker was busy with work and coming later. It hadn’t occurred to Steve until the flight attendants made it a point to check on him and James every 10 minutes of the 2-hour flight to coo at James and himself. A young single father was clearly women bait. It was also clear that the women thought he was far too young and handsome to be a married father. It made him uncomfortable and made him miss his wife. Which only made him feel worse inside.  
While Nat had found that their marriage was more of a strategic move. It meant that when traveling with James there wouldn’t be any serious complications and that there would be no doubt that James had U.S. citizenship, and that one day she could enjoy the same citizenship. While Steve went back to that scrawny kid in Brooklyn that dreamed of marrying a beautiful dame and having an equally beautiful family. He thought after everything that happened with Bucky, and Sokovia, and Peggy that that era of his life was over. But that beautiful morning on their balcony in the Wakandan palace when Nat had casually mentioned that getting married might be a good idea after all Steve’s heart melted. He felt he could finally do his Ma proud, and she wouldn’t turn over in her grave after all about having a grandchild born out of wedlock. Nat dragged her feet as Ramonda insisted that if they were to marry in Wakanda they were to observe their traditions. Which is how Steve ended up staring at the photo of Steve in traditional male Wakadan formal wear and Natasha in a black gown with a large headdress. It was back when Steve had let his hair grow out, so he wore long hair and a full beard, and Natasha had let her original hair color grow out and her red hair could be seen tucked up into the headdress. He remembered how secretly excited he was to find that Ramonda, while annoyed it wasn’t her own child’s wedding, took their wedding very seriously, and with that wedding traditions. She had taken it upon herself to have Shuri research American and Russian wedding traditions to attempt to include them in the ceremony. Much to Natasha’s disappointment Ramonda decided to chose from some of the older American traditions, such as the whole ‘something old, something new, and something blue’, and the greatest of her annoyance was not being able to see Steve 24 hours before the wedding. However, it just made Steve tear up that much more when he turned to see her walking down the aisle. Even Sam looked impressed. It was such a great day. And now it seemed so long ago.  
James remained asleep until just 20 minutes before they landed in London, and he woke up with the most heartbreaking look on his face. He rubbed his little eyes as he blinked away the sleep, and peered up at his father. Then he looked around and turned back to Steve confused.  
“Mama?” he asked.  
Steve grabbed his son into his large embrace and stroked his son’s hair.  
“Mama is going to meet us later. We are going to visit some of Papa’s friends. We are going back to Papa’s home in New York,” he explained to his son.  
While Steve knew the small boy was far too tired to even begin to comprehend the words he was saying he clearly acknowledged that he was going on some sort of adventure with his father. With that conclusion, the smart boy fell back asleep on top of his father. And that is how Sharon Carter found the two Rogers men at package claim, Steve with a suitcase, a large army duffle bag, a folded stroller, and a small child clinging to his neck.  
“Captain Rogers,” she said with a polite nod.  
“Sharon,” Steve said back.  
It was close to dawn, and yet the Heathrow baggage claim was fairly busy. Nobody noticed the two agents and former lovers.  
“So I heard you and Agent Romanoff got married. I was always under the impression she wasn’t one for attachments,” Sharon mused.  
Steve never knew Sharon to be petty or mean, but considering their last real encounter consisted of him making it clear that following her aunt’s death that that part of his life, that part other than saving the world was done. Now having seen what life was like with Nat and James in his life, that was a naive thing to say.  
“I think we kinda brought out the best in each other. And then James came along and everything changed,” he explained as he glances at his sleeping son.  
“Well let's get the little tyke out of here so we can figure out what Hydra agents have come out of their graves….again,” Sharon said cracking a small smile as she grabbed a suitcase and the stroller, “We’ve got an agent waiting for us in a car out front to take us to the Quinjet, Captain,”  
And so Steve stepped into the government car, and he was no longer Willem Bakker or any of the other numerous alias he had used in the last two years. He was now, yet again, Captain Steven Rogers, Captain America. He vaguely wondered if Tony or Fury had kept any of his old suits from SHEILD. He wondered if what would happen to them after they got Natasha back to normal. Would they live in the Tower with Tony, or get a house in Brooklyn as he’d dreamed after finding out about James. But these were all questions to be answered once his wife was back into her right mind. That was assuming she didn’t find and kill them first.  
The blacked-out Audi SUV pulled into a private landing strip where a quintet stood waiting on the tarmac, engines already running and ready for take-off. Some junior agents shuffled all their stuff onto the jet, as Steve turned towards the younger Agent Carter.  
“Well Captain, this is where I leave you. Fury has asked Falcon and I to all of Agent Romanoff’s old European safe houses and keep an eye out for her on this side of the Atlantic,” Sharon said as she put on her business face, “I’ve also taken the liberty to James here his first real American passport, just in case,” she said as she handed him an envelope.  
Steve looked at the blonde-haired woman. She was all fire and seriousness, but at times, if you were lucky you could see beneath it all. So despite her clear resentment of his marriage to Natasha (a marriage nobody, not even those that knew them best could have ever seen coming), and the jaw-dropping existence of James, she still did her job as an agent and as a friend.  
“Sharon….thank you for everything,” he said as he turned to get onto the jet.  
Sharon didn’t say a word, she just gave a stiff nod because, despite her cool demeanor, she was heartbroken. She had heard tales of the great Captain America for decades from her Aunt. And once he was found and it was clear her aunt no longer could be his love, she pushed Sharon to be there for him. And Sharon thought she had, she thought she would be the Carter woman to marry Captain America one day. But instead, her idol, Black Widow, the most fearsome assassin and agent to have walked the halls of SHIELD, the “Love is for children” and “Sex is a form of manipulation”, assassin not only married the Captain but ensured her fixture in the rest of his life by birthing his child. Sharon wondered if he knew that his old pal Bucky didn’t just train her and that their relationship was also sexual in nature. But Sharon let those dark hateful thoughts slip away as the quintet flew into the skies because as her aunt Peggy use to say, “Jealousy is for fools and foolish women.” Sharon really hoped that Steve and the cute little boy would be okay, but that did not mean she couldn't feel a little put out about him hopping into bed with Romanoff so soon after they'd split.


	3. Home Sweet Avengers Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers are back together again sans one Russian assassin. Will Steve and James welcome home be everything they expected?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So depending on how I'm feeling and if you guys are liking the story I'll write another chapter. Orrrr I can post some other stuff I've got stashed away 😉

Steve finally felt safe as the quinjet flew up into the clouds allowing himself to sneak a few hours of sleep as little James lay parked in his stroller fast asleep. It felt as if he had just closed his eyes before he was awoken with a loud shout.  
“Cap he looks just like you! You really are a Mini Cap huh?” Tony Stark exclaimed as he peered into James’ stroller and the small toddler batted his blue eyes at the billionaire.  
“Tony don’t scare him!” a familiar woman’s voice hushed.  
Steve finally cleared the haze and sleep from his eyes and was met with the sight of Tony Stark in his full-fledged billionaire flashiness and the ever-lovely Pepper Potts by his side in contrastingly more casual (but equally as expensive) outfit.  
“It's good to have you back Steve, but I’m sorry about Nat,” Pepper said as she offered a hand to Steve to help him up.  
“It's good to see you too Pepper, but I wish it were under better circumstances,” Steve sighed as he reached out a hand and tickled his son who squealed with excitement.  
“Can I hold him?” Pepper asked eagerly.  
Steve gave her a wide smile and nodded as Pepper eagerly picked up the small child and started explaining how Auntie Pepper was going to spoil him rotten. It was during all the cooing that Tony took the opportunity to address more serious matters.  
“Fury, god knows who looped him in in the first place, wants to meet with you, me, Legolas, and Thor in an hour to figure out what new Hydra threat has conveniently decided to rear its ugly face and mess with my new OTP. Oh and Wanda and Spidy wanna help too, but I told them that's not really my call and……,” Tony began explaining quickly.  
“Wait wait wait. Tony how many people have you told about all this?!” Steve exclaimed nervously. “The last thing I want is for Nat to become Public Enemy #1”  
“Oh don’t worry about it, Cap! I only told the Avengers, okay the A-listers that would come. I’m pretty sure Banner is still hiding out in his room downstairs. He’s been a little weird ever since Thor brought him back. As for Wanda, man that girl must…,” Tony began again with a smirk.  
“Wait a darn second, Wanda still talks to you?!” Steve asked raising his eyebrows.  
“I mean she should since Pep and I adopted her,” Tony said with an eye roll.  
“You WHAT?!!” Steve exclaimed shocked.  
“See your not the only one with secrets old man…..okay well I guess mine isn’t really a secret considering everyone else knew….ANYWAYS, yeah Vision doesn’t exactly need a visa and he’s been living here, so when Pepper found out Witchy Woo wasn’t 18 yet and had no place to go she…we…took her in and started filing paperwork and such. I mean it was really only for a year until she turned 18, but she seems happy enough. Pepper really worked on getting her ‘well adjusted’ and into ‘normal school’. She just started NYU last year, which let me tell you were an expensive buy-out. Do you know how hard it is to get a kid into school when they only have one year of American schooling?! I mean the …….,” Tony began ranting but cut himself short as he saw Cap staring at him, “What?”  
“It’s just that you are getting it now. You didn’t make Wanda register herself and you are giving her a normal life. Heck Tony, you’re even kind acting like a…..,” Steve began.  
“Don’t! Do not say the “D” word! You do that while Pepper is holding that baby and I will drop your ass right back in that ice Cap,” Tony hissed glancing over at Pepper as she happily played with James.  
“But Tony…,” Steve began again.  
“No! She’s got fucking baby fever….again! We’ve been married for two years and so far the world has not fallen apart, so now she thinks that's the universe’s code for time to make little Stark Babies,” Tony whispered.  
Steve just rolled his eyes, walked over to Pepper, picked up James, whispered something in Pepper’s ear that made her laugh, and turn to look at Tony, who had a sneaking suspicion that another baby talk was heading his way.  
“Alright, alright, let's get Mini Cap inside to meet the rest of the gang,” Tony said as followed Pepper out of the Quinjet.  
The three adults and small child boarded the elevator and rode down several floors.  
“It’s good to have you back Captain Rogers,” JARVIS’s voice said as the elevator slowed down.  
“Good to be back JARVIS,” Steve said as he looked up.  
The elevator doors eventually opened on the penthouse living space that has since been remodeled following the Ultron debacle. Most of the team sat scattered around the room eagerly awaiting the return of their fearless leader and his progeny.  
Peter and Wanda sat at the bar heads buried in books as Vision reviewed some of their completed assignments. Colonel Rhodes sat listening to Thor recount some tale of old Asgard, and Clint and Banner set near the balcony playing chess. All eyes turned towards the elevator as Tony announced the Captain’s arrival.  
It was like a stampede. Wanda, Peter, and Clint surged towards Pepper who still held little James. While Rhodes, Vision, and Thor all approached Cap with respectful congratulations and welcome backs. It was the only Banner who remained where he was, brooding.  
“Steve he looks so much like you! But with little bits of Natasha,” Wanda said as she cooed at the toddler.  
“Awww he’s a little mini-you. Laura and the kids are gonna have a field day with this little tyke,” Clint said as he grinned over at the small overwhelmed child.  
Little James Rogers’ began squirming nervously in Pepper’s arms under the scrutiny of so many hands and eyes. He began reaching out for his papa again, tears starting to fall on his pudgy little cheeks. Steve easily grabbed his son from Pepper and shushed the boy.  
“He’s had a long night. I think I’m gonna take him to lie down. Tony do you......,” Steve began, but the sauce billionaire was already ahead of him.  
“Your room is the same old same old Cap. Even had JARVIS add a few ‘child friendly’ modifications,” Tony said as he clapped Cap on the back, “ You and Mini Cap take a load off. We can regroup later tonight. And you two,” Tony said pointing at Wanda and Peter, “can get to school,”  
And so everyone began about their day letting the old captain and his son get some rest. But for the rest of the day it never left their minds that while they were hurt their teammates didn’t confide in them about such a drastic lifestyle change, there were bigger problems at hand.  
“JARVIS, patch me through to Agent Carter 2.0 and Birdy,” Tony announced later that evening as the whole team sat in the living room once again.  
Wanda sat on the floor with Vision entertaining the young child by floating his toys around him. Peter stood diligently by Tony’s side as Thor and Rhodes stood on his other sidearms crossed.  
“Bout time you guys called us back!” Sam complained as the line went through.  
Steve stood from his seat on the couch next to Pepper as his good friend appeared on the screen.  
“Heya, Sam,” Steve greeted him with a small wave.  
“Awww no, you tell them. I can’t tell him,” Sam said sadly as he moved out of the frame and the younger Agent Carter came into view.  
“About two hours after you boarded a flight to London. A woman resembling the Black Widow boarded a connecting flight from Paris to Nairobi, Kenya. Her flight landed several hours ago, and we have since lost surveillance,” she informed the group, “We believe she might be going to....,”  
“Wakanda,” Steve breathed.  
“But why would The Black Widow wish to journey to the home of our friend, and not here?” Thor questioned as the rest of the group nodded in agreement.  
Tony, Clint, and Steve all looked at each other uncomfortably. The group of them and Sam were the only ones on the team that knew where Bucky was (T’Challa had said a little something something that led Tony to do some snooping and that’s how he found out).  
“You are kidding me right?! She’s not actually going to get....?” Sam began as he came back into the frame.  
“But see it all makes sense. Wasn’t it convenient for them that one of the only people on the planet knew where he used to be in the fold? Easily corrupted with a few choice words,” Tony said as he began pacing dramatically.  
“But how would they know she knew? It was just us and the Wakadians that knew,” Clint reasoned.  
“ Come on Katniss, everyone knows Cap had to know. And a little light spying the past year and a half would tell you she had to know by association. Ba da bing ba da boom! Two HYDRA controlled assassins back online,” Tony grumbled.  
“Okay, I can’t be the only one here confused Mr. Stark. But two assassins? And why is it not surprising that Black Widow didn’t come straight here?” Peter asked puzzled from his spot on the back of the couch.  
“We were too difficult of a mark on her own. Besides we weren’t her original mission anyways. She went to get her main mission and backup first.....,” Tony said turning to the group.  
“She’s going to get Bucky,” Steve said quietly, “ We put him on ice in Wakanda at his request after the whole Zimo debacle,”  
The group of Avengers all began talking at once with this revelation.  
“How could you not tell us?”  
“He is a terrorist that should stand trial not be put on ice! The United Nations is obligated to make him stand trial,”  
“ How long have Clint and Tony known about this?”  
“Questions later! We need to give the Wakadians a heads up. JARVIS patch us through to Her Majesty Princess Shuri,” Agent Carter yelled over the bickering.  
The call went through immediately, but it didn’t go over well. Shuri informed the Avengers that Sergeant Barnes had been released from his mind control, however he had also been living in a small village by the barrier on his own for some months now. She didn’t understand how they were unaware of this as she had told Mrs.Rogers this a few weeks ago when she had called to check on his progress. Shuri promised to get an update on Bucky within the hour.  
“But this is good yes? If he was still being brainwashed she could compel him as well. But he is not so at the best he will stop her and sedate her himself,” Wanda proposed.  
“Good theory Little Witch. But there’s a problem with it. How did Nat get brainwashed in the first place?” Tony asked.  
The room went silent. Many of the Avengers didn’t know Natasha on a personal level, she would never allow that, but what they did know is that she never suffered from anything similar to what Bucky had.  
“The Red Room never had to brainwash her. She always said it was just manipulation,” Clint said quietly.  
“Exactly! So we can’t count on her not turning him back into full-blown Winter Soldier assassin mode,” Tony said eyeing Steve directly, “You should have put him down, Cap. He’s a liability alive, cold or warm,” Tony said darkly.  
“ We are past this, Tony. It’s done,” Steve grumbled.  
“It’s never going to be done until he is dead! They won’t stop until they get their Golden Assassin back, which news flash means a hella of a lot more work for all of us!” Tony yelled.  
“Bucky hasn’t done anything!” Steve yelled back.  
“Not yet! But if we don’t shut this down now, your brainwashed assassin wife and her ex-boyfriend are going to have assassin open season!” Tony yelled as he got closer and closer to Steve.  
Clint and Agent Carter grimaced. They thought they were the only two that knew about that.  
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Stark!” Steve yelled pointing a finger at Tony.  
“Oh, good ole Buck didn’t tell you he fucked your wife back in the day? Shocker. Those assassins really are good at keeping secrets,” Tony hissed.  
“Fuck you, Stark!” Steve said as he turned to walk away.  
“ Hey, maybe you should be thanking me! I saved you and your kid from your homicidal lying wife! I wonder why she didn’t tell you he was off ice for months?” Tony said, the implications of his statement hanging in the air.  
There were some under breath mumbling from Clint and Sam advising Tony to stop. But Tony Stark just had to be Tony Stark. It should also be noted that at this moment Wanda, Pepper, and Vision shuffled little James Rogers up to his new playroom.  
“I don’t know how many ways he can show you he can’t be trusted Cap! Even not brainwashed he’s sneaking around behind your back with your wife! Do you really think she went after him first because she needed ‘backup’ to come after you?” Tony asked cruelly.  
And that was the last straw. Steve Rogers wouldn’t consider himself a violent man by nature. But Tony Stark just knew how to push his buttons. And he didn’t just push his buttons he beat them with Thor’s hammer.  
Steve turned around from his spot across the room. His face redder than anyone had ever seen it, and he full-on charged Tony. The two men fell through the glass railing and on top of the glass coffee table. Steve throwing two punches before Thor and Clint hauled him off Tony.  
Tony stood up and brushed the glass of himself, and tapped a finger to the blood running down his face.  
“You’re only pissed because you believe it’s possible I might be right. And that’s enough,” Tony said smiling, “Tell me Cap, are you going to have to catch them together to make you finally understand he can never be trusted?!”  
Steve shook Clint and Thor off of him before he stomped over to the elevators to go to his room.  
“ What the actual fuck Tony?!” Clint exclaimed.  
“Yes, I have to agree with Sir Clint. Making implications of one's best friend lying with one's wife is extremely....,” Thor began.  
“Crude, cruel, unjustified, inhuman, shall I go on?” Bruce said as he stood and spoke for the first time all day.  
“And he speaks! Convenient time to be defending your ex Bruce....ya know since she’s married to someone else,” Tony snarked at his genius buddy.  
“But according to you, our friend, our teammate is such a horrible person that you think she was stepping out on Steve with his best friend?” Bruce said as he poked Tony in the chest.  
“He wasn’t just her mentor back in the day Big Green. If HYDRA was all in her head it’s not much of a stretch,” Tony mused.  
“Tony, I know you want him dead more than anything on this planet. But you can’t manipulate Cap into getting on board by making him think Bucky is sleeping with his wife! It’s unforgivable! It’s possible that he doesn’t even know they’re married! Would you expect brainwashed Nat to tell him? You are preying on his insecurities and you know it!” Bruce accused.  
Tony looked at the remaining Avengers in the room, Sam and Sharon having disconnected after Shuri’s call.  
“You know what Bruce? I am. And you want to know why?! Because he killed my parents!! Dear old Dad used to talk about how Cap would tell him stories of how Bucky use to get all the girls in the world and they wouldn’t even bother with him. Doesn’t matter if he doesn’t kill him, the fact that the one woman that chose him chose good ole Bucky first will gut him. And ya know what? Before you even say anything I don’t care if it’s cruel. He played cruel first when he lied to me for years, YEARS, and let his murderer BFF walk free!” Tony shouted as he waved the screen away and stormed upstairs.  
“Guys, um should we be checking on him? Like.....I.....I’ve never seen Mr. Stark like that before. Maybe he’s been...,” Peter started to rationalize.  
“He’s not being poisoned kid. You just got a front-row seat to old school jack ass Tony Stark. Don’t worry, I’m sure Pepper will have him straightened out by morning,” Clint said as he clapped a hand on Peter’s shoulder.  
And straighten out Pepper Potts-Stark did. Tony had never heard her call him a bastard that many times in a row in his entire time of knowing her, in addition to a few more explicit names. All of which was followed by her locking him outside on their patio to sleep.....in February.  
It was at the same time that Pepper was screaming her lungs out at Tony, that several floors below Wanda and Steve sat watching over a slumbering James.  
“ I heard what Tony said,” Wanda muttered quietly.  
Steve just nodded in acknowledgment.  
“He just wants you to hate him nearly as much as he does. But you don’t need to hate her for lying, it was never like that,” Wanda said as she played with her magic over James’ cot.  
“What do you mean?” Steve finally asked.  
“ When we first met, I got inside her mind, all her memories everything. He was a strong memory not because she loved him, but because he was the first to show her kindness and........he was her first,” Wanda said, the last part as a whisper.  
“How am I not supposed to be angry at them? She thought it would be better if I didn’t know she lost her virginity to my best friend, and he didn’t think it would be a good idea to say ‘oh hey, I use to date your teammate’. She’s my wife! The mother of my child! And he......,” Steve began.  
“Is your oldest friend, literally,” Steve gave her a side-eyed glare, “ You win no matter how you look at it. You got Natasha to marry you and bare you a child when no one on this planet ever thought we’d see her settle down,” Steve quirked an eyebrow, “oh please, we all knew you were lying about ‘ that chapter of my life is over’ crap,” Wanda said impersonating Steve.  
“Hmm you know you’re kinda wise for someone so young,” Steve said with a small smile.  
“Maybe it’s because I’m dating a professor,” Wanda said deadpan.  
Steve looked away from James and stared at her in shock. She finally turned back towards him and elaborated.  
“Just a little joke, Steve. Vision, even in human form prefers a physical appearance much older than me. It ugh has led some of my peers to believe I am dating a professor. None of them have met him before so it’s just rumors and tabloid gossip. I got adopted and all of a sudden I’m famous,” Wanda mused as she kept focusing on her magic.  
“I’m sorry we haven’t stayed in touch Wanda. I wanted to be able to check in on you,” Steve said sadly.  
“Oh well, it’s all for the best. Not having you around constantly helped me get over my crush, and Vision demanded that we take a break until I finished high school. He actually said ‘I encourage you to have atypical human high school interactions’,” she chuckled as Steve blushed,” Oh please, you had to have guessed I had a crush on you. Natasha knew and she never used to waste a chance teasing me about it,”  
“No I didn’t...it’s just that.....did Vision really imply that...?” Steve stuttered uncomfortably.  
“Oh yes, he did. I had to eventually explain to him that I love him for who he is, and wasn’t going to get caught up over something as silly as physical desire,” Wanda said as she rolled her eyes.  
“Wanda I don’t know you’re young and maybe....,” Steve started.  
“That’s just it though. I’m young and I can make my own choices and change them later, but I won’t. Tony has been trying to get Vision to take on a ‘younger’ human form for months. Even trying to give him suitable templates, but he doesn’t really like any of them. I suspect Tony is getting sick of the press asking why his adopted college-aged daughter is seemingly dating a man in his late 40s. We only just came up with a human name for him in public a few months ago, Victor Shade,” Wanda rattles on.  
“Wow Wanda, that’s great. You guys seem to have everything figured out. Just just be careful you are a good kid and I don’t want people giving you a hard time at school. Kids can be mean, I should know,” Steve said as he winked at her.  
“Yes well, I learned some creative American slang the first time Vision picked me up from my classes this semester. Vision of all people had to explain what a ‘gold digger’ and ‘Hugh Heifner’ meant. Not to mention the press is constantly on this thing called ‘bump watch’ for me and Pepper,” Wanda laughed.  
Steve chuckled at that. He was all too familiar with the struggles of perceived age gaps. While Natasha didn't look too much older than him, he was all too aware of his students' mumbled comments about Monsieur Bakker's "hot older wife". Thinking back on the time Natasha and James stopped in on one of his afternoon classes to drop off his forgotten keys made him miss the assassin even more. Steve knew she wasn't completely content with the housewife/ virtual day trader life, but he'd hoped that one day they'd be able to move back home and maybe get the team back together. Now, that dream and hope seemed further and further away as he sat listening to Wanda's college adventures and watching his son, without his other half.


	4. Natasha's Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve spends some quality time with his mini-me and remembers how little James Rogers came to be in his life.

Steve didn’t sleep that night. He was back with the first family he knew after the ice, the family he had happily chosen, but he still felt off.

It had never occurred to Steve that sleeping alone would be something he’d eventually dread. Steve had slept in a bed alone for his entire life until he became Captain America. And even then it had taken Sharon and Natasha to come along for him to dare to think he’d never have to sleep alone again. Don’t get him wrong, there were some downsides to not sleeping alone, like the snoring (despite Natasha insisting she didn’t) and the blanket hogging battle (they were both equally guilty of that), but it was worth it for those rough nights. In fact, it was one of those rough nights that changed his life forever.

FLASHBACK

Steve had been soundly sleeping (as soundly as someone in hiding could sleep), when he was startled awake by screaming next to him. His blue eyes flew open and he saw Natasha thrashing in the sheets. While dodging her mighty small fists he grabbed her shoulders shaking her awake. The assassin gradually grew quiet as she gasped for air regaining consciousness. She blinked at him a few times before looking Steve in the eye.

“I....I’m sorry. I just had a dream that...,” she began as she glanced down at her still flat stomach, not noticing that her hand had slid under her nightshirt over the space.

They had been lovers, and friends still longer, enough for Steve to know to just stay quiet as she pieces together what she wanted to say. The assassin sighed and ran her other hand through her hair.

“I think I’m going to keep the baby,” she said softly.

That was not what Steve thought she was going to say. The topic had been an unspoken non-discussion topic the last two weeks. Steve had given her space, figuring that she would let him know when she’d get “it” done. He’d figured she’d have to go to Germany or something to have the abortion and would be gone a few days. Steve had spent the last two weeks preparing himself for that. Not for this.

“Umm....I....are you sure?” Steve hesitated.

“No, I’m not sure. But after everything we’ve been through and done...I guess I’m trying to say that we deal with the impossible head-on. We embrace the impossible. So why would a baby that is impossible be any different?” Nat explained.

Steve sighed. It would be selfish of him to just go along with this and happily declare his excitement at her decision. He knew he _knew_ she didn’t truly want a child.

“Nat...I just think that maybe viewing this, having a child, as a mission, as a challenge, isn’t a good enough reason to go against your...your beliefs. I know you don’t exactly have a lot of time to think about it, but I want you to make sure you are making the right choice for you,” Steve explained smoothly, even as the implication of his words broke his heart.

“Steve I have thought about it. And it’s not just the right choice for me, is it? You do get a say. And I’ve spent the past two weeks thinking about all the what if’s. You are my best friend, Steve. I love you, and I don’t want to ever willfully hurt you. You are a good man, the best man, and I know despite having your full support in whatever I chose, you would never look at me the same again...,” Nat explained sadly.

“Natasha that’s not fair. You will always have me!” Steve retorted angrily.

“You say that now when keeping the baby is actively on the table, but I’ve seen you sulking around the apartment when you think I’m not looking. Do not try to talk me out of making you as happy as you deserve! I’ve done so much bad in my life, but doing this? This feels like a path to redemption,” Natasha explained.

And now Steve understood. This child wasn’t just a mission or challenge she wanted to overcome. Natasha thought that if she could create and bring into the world something as pure and good as Steve Rogers’s child, then maybe she wasn’t as truly evil as the Red Room and Hydra had made her believe. So Steve would let it go.

“Okay,” he responded.

“Okay?” She mimicked with an eyebrow raised.

He said he’d support her choice no matter what, and he would. With one caveat:

“But, if you ever want out, if you ever feel like you don’t want this anymore you talk to me. No disappearing into the night. No trying to make us leave you. We talk it out and figure out what is best for you and this family,” Steve’s heart swelled at that last word, “If you ever need a break, we can do that. Just talk to me,” he said placing emphasis on the last part.

Natasha just nodded. She didn’t try to fight back against his implied abandonment claims because she knew they were true. She would try to run at some point. Finally figuring out that she wasn’t the mom type and that the Red Room had gotten it right making her infertile. All the things that made her spiral out of control on a daily basis. But Steve knew this. Steve knew it all, because that’s what best friends were for. Clint was her partner, her ride or die (quite literally), but Steve was her other half.

With the discussion finished and Natasha’s choice made, the pair snuggled together and drifted off to a dreamland filled with happy blonde and red-haired babies.

End Flashback

Steve was pulled out of his walk down memory lane when said blonde-haired baby started squirming next to him in the large bed. Steve could tell it was a little prior to 5 am as the view from his apartment in the Tower faced the east and the slight haze of the sun was breaking the Manhattan horizon. The little tyke had managed to sleep through the night, unlike his father.

Little James opened his eyes fully about 10 minutes later and sleepily crawled into his father’s lap, before looking around the unfamiliar room.

“Mama?” He asked with pleading eyes.

“Mama is coming soon. Mama just has some things to finish at home,” Steve replied to his son as he stroked his hair in an attempt to calm the already brimming tears.

But as always it was too late. James was most definitely a daddy’s boy, which annoyed Natasha to no end, but he still very much loved his mother. In fact, Steve can’t think of a time where James hadn’t been with Nat for longer than a couple of hours, let alone a whole day. At that realization, Steve scooped up his son and brought him into his kitchen. Apparently Tony (or more likely Pepper) had gone above and beyond when hearing about the impending arrival of Cap and his son because a very fancy high chair and a full spread of baby bottles and plates and such was on the island countertop. Steve rolled his eyes as he had no doubt that his son would soon forget about his absent mother as surely a host of new toys also awaited the little tyke.


End file.
